Baiting machine



March 2, '1954 BAITING MACHINE Filed July 25, 1949 8 Sheets-Sheet l JnVsw/ar ZTltZMc. Cfiopkzw G Ea uepnfe and T. H. MCC. HOPKINS ETAL 2,670,556

7 March 1954 v T. H. MQC. HOPKINS ET AL 2, 7

BAITING MACHINE Filed July 25, 1949 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 J12 1/1912 for.

fji laaflo a rzlgz/s 6.15 a/uerzz/fe LI March 2, 1954 T, Mcc. HOPKINS ET AL 2,670,556

BAITfNG MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 25, 1949 v anions IT 171%.

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March 1954 T. H. MOC. HOPKINS ET AL BAITING MACHINE Filed July 25, 1949 THJYc. CJfo G.-

Mam}! 2, 1954 T. H. MCC. HOPKINS ET AL 2,670,556

BAITING MACHINE Filed July 25, 1949 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 I171) cum-601w TH.MC. Cfiq ojrzlzw G .B auezzzfa zad March 2, 1954 cc. HOPKINS ET AL 2,670,556

BAITING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed July 25, 1949 ,Zzu) ejmfoz a :ZYHMC. C o l/rzLzw v G jaue zzfeim 1 March 1954 T. H. MCC. HOPKINS ETAL ,670, 6

BAITING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet '7 176 Filed July 25, 1949 Ztbv 61222 501 6 121 zLz z/ai/ ZZZ? March 2, 1954 Filed July 25, 1949 T. H. MCC. HOPKINS ET AL BAITING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Patented Mar. 2, 1954 BAITINQ momma 'Ehornas Henderson McCully Hopkins, Sea-Island, oma i e a Ge e Bauemmind, .Riom mood Vanoourer, lia a. :as isnors to Andhop mm. B. fish lumbia.

C nada,

Lim ted Vi a o rp rati 1 B itish Golumbis Application July 25, 1949, Serial No. 106,714

(01 ABE-4:)

the eliminating of the hazardous manual oper-s w ations previously necessary in the onttingsnp of bait and the placing .of it on the hooks.

Additional objects will be apparent from the description to be given below.

The invention in the sonstrnctions,

combination and arrangement of .parts herein..- af-ter described andmorepartioularly pointed out in the appended claims.

One convenient embodiment of the invention will'now be described by way of example with reference to the drawings in which:

igures 1 and 1A are a composite plan view of the baiting machine, Figure 1A illustrating the details of construction to the right of and in continuation of the structure shown in Figure '1;

Figure 2 is a section along the line Iss2 in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectionalong the Figures 1 and 1A;

line a; in

Figure 4 is a section along the line 4-4 in :s'

Figure 1!; showing the hopper in position;

Figures "5 and 6 are side elevations of the inside of the nozzle;

Figures -'i, =3 and 9 are transverse sections of the nozzle along the lines "|--'i, 8-8 and 9- 9 speetively in Figures 5 and 6 with the two parts of the nozzle fitted together.

Figures "10, 1'1, 113, 18 and 151 are a series of diagrammatic plan views, with all but necessary detail omitted, of the baiting operation.

The machine comprises a metal base seotion l which is formed with longitudinal metal bars- 2 and 3, buttresses 4, 5 aud t-feet '1, andbraekots 8 9 10,, 1-2, 13, M and-15, see Figure 4 {or brackets 14 and 15. If desired the-parts 2 to 15 and the base i may be cast in onepieee. The base I is provided with apertures 16,. i i, 18 and I9 Integral with bar 3 is an upwardly extend ing flange l!!! and welded or otherwise seeured'to ui'e flange 2a is a narrow longitudinal bar :1

which is unexposed on and separa e t am her The bar 2-1 :is supported by transverse ra s or brideing elements 32, 2.3. 124 havin lu s .25 formed with holes through Wllifih EH bQl- 2:5;

the brace .22 bein sscur o by bolt 2% to lens tudinalabar 2 and buttr ss th rass 2:3 to her {and buttress 5 and the brass 2 to bar 2 and buttress-*5.

Pomovably pressed a ainst the ba .24 is a movable bar 21. and extendin downward y new the bar 21 are arms 2.8 and 2 which es end 113$ sneetirely throu h apertures 16 and l?! and are respectively nivotally s cu ed to trinkets, 12 an is and L4 and is by means of most!) an 34- bar 2'! is provi ed a sens .33.. brackets e3, .34 and 315.. 3?iv ta rseure ito the bracket is by means of pin 56 a shos inls 31 which is oivotallr eoured. by me ns oi a sin 38 to anarm 69 :nroiestins la er ly rom a handl 40, one and oi which is pivots lav secur d to the brackets l9 and 14 by means 9; a sin 4,1 ferhandle an is provided with tera p. ion 42 and H to whieh ar resin c sion sprin s 4 nd 45. s rin 44 secured to the bro k t M a d the sp in 5 the-brother .35. Due to the oregoin cl-isriositio i of parts the bar 21 may be mo ed into or out en a ement with the bar H and, is held rialsinely m the engagin position by the sp n s 44 and 4-5, as indicate in full lines mils-lire Z,

secured to the :base i by mean of bolts 45 is a hraokfit or support 0 eomp isin ottom eotion 48., sidewalls 69 and .50 and .f-mn Wal 51L See Figures 1 and. 2- lfhe uppe portion 5 9 the front wall 51 somewhat thiokeoed and e tends laterally of the lower portion.- A shou d r onthe upper portion 152 of the wall B is mi sel with the side walls 48 an fi ilQ fil' P9 1" 9 of the wall '51 has an apertur 5 upon thickened portion 152 of the iront wall 54 fifi i fifi as a housing for azcomnr ss on sprin no hows, and one end of a buffer pin 5!! (Figure 11)., he pin 54 beings-in the same plane as the b ade .85 to be later described, 'lhe sprin .54 is rhlsl n 1 and under compression by means of .a screw 5.5 (Figure '2) r i Secured to the top of the normal-1 PQIikiQR 51 of the bracket A? by means oil :a bo t 55 d; nuts :51 is a hollow pulley :58 hav n his 519 extending therefrom. To the pin 9 ne l n of a short length of a flexible elements-u as a chain to is seemed and to the-onnos te and of the chain 60 is attached small ring 51 or other; suitable connectin moan -1 The P111153 5 en/es as a housing for a coil sprin not shosza The 3 spring may be secured to the bolt 56 and the interior of the pulley 58, the container being free to rotate in either a clockwise or a counterclockwise direction on the bolt 59.

The lower portion of the front wall SI of the bracket 47 has extending outwardlyv therefrom and preferably cast integral therewith a pair of spaced lugs 62 and 53. Rotatably secured between the lugs 62 and 63 by means of a bolt 64 is a boss 85 having two arms 66 and 61, the arm 68 extending angularly from the boss in an upward direction (see FigureZ The free end of j the arm 66 carries a secondboss68.equippedwith i a pointed pin 59 having athreaded upper end 19 secured in the boss 98 by a nut I I. The pointed end 97 of the bracket lies between the planes of the buttress members 6 and 5 while the end 98 of the bracket lies between the planes of the buttress members 4 and 5. Secured to the end 98 of the bracket 95 is a short vertical bearing 99 having secured thereto a short horizontal arm I99 to which is attached another short, vertical bearing IGI, in alignment with the bearing 99. Preferably the parts 99, Hit and Iill are cast in one piece with the bracket 95. Integral with the end 93 of the bracket 95 is a bearing I92 ex- Y tending to the outside edge of the bar 2, the

end of the pin 69 extends downwardly-at an' angle from the boss 68 and its effective length may be adjusted within the limits of the threaded end ID. The arm 67 on the boss 65 extends through the aperture 53. One end of a tension spring 12 is fastened to the free end' of the arm 67, the opposite end of the spring being secured to the side wall 59 of the bracket 41 (see Figures 1 and 2) The fiange 26 which is unitary with the longitudinal bars 3 and 2], has an aperture which communicates with a narrow passage I4 which extends for the full length of the machine and is defined by the lower edge of the superposed bar 2| and a longitudinal portion of the upper edge of the bar 3. Secured by screws 'I5to the upperedge of the bar 3 is a metal plate 16. The plate 76 extends over a portion of the length only of the bar 3 and a section of the plate is cut away to form a sloped portion I7 terminating in a shoulder I8 (see Figures 1 and 3).

The bars 3, 2| and 21 are provided with arouate channels or troughs I9, 89 and 8I respectively (see Figures 2 and 4) and when the bar 21 is in engaging relationship with the bar 2I the three channels together form or define a passage 82 substantially circular in cross section, which extends for the full length of the machine and communicates with the passage 14.

Each of the bars 2 and 2| is provided with a longitudinal groove, the groove in bar 2 being shown at 83- and that in the bar '2I at 84 (see Figure 4). The two grooves face one another and are in the same horizontal plane and serve to support and guide a blade 85 which is adapted to traverse approximately the full length of the machine. The blade 85 has acurved cutting-edge at one side terminating in a blunt point and is retained in the slots 83 and 84 by means of lateral projections 86. Adjacent its butt-end the blade is formed with an aperture SI preferably of the shape shown in Figure 1. Pivotally secured by means of a bolt 88 and a nut 89 to the underside of the blade at a point close to the aperture 81 is a V-shaped member 90 having a pin 9I secured to the one arm anda pin 92 secured to the other. The pin 9I extends. vertically downward from the bracket and the pin 92 projects downwardly at a slight angle to the vertical (see Figure 3). A third pin 93. is secured to and extends upwardly fromv the member 90 and-through the aperture 87. The pin 93 is formed with a peripheralgroove 94 at its upper end with which the ring BI on the chain 99'engages (seeFigures 3 and 4i). 'i 2 A bracket 95 is secured to the base I above apertures I8 and I9 by-means of bolts 99. One end 91 of the bracket is approximately semi-circular in cross-section and is elevated slightly above the opposite end. 98 of the bracket. The.

inner end-of the bearing being provided with a recess E03 facing an opening Hi l in the bar 2 (see Figure-4). Slidably mounted in the bearing I92 and in a bearing I95 formed on the outer edge of the bracket 95 is a rod I96 having a plate I61 secured to its inner end. The rod I99 makes -a reciprocatory motion at right angles to the long axis of the base I whereby the plunger plate I9? also makes a reciprocatory motion across or at right angles to a longitudinal space defined between the bars 2 and 3. In making that motion the plunger plate I91 is extended on the rod I96 from the end of the recess I93 of the bearing I92 through the opening I94 in the bar 2 and toward the bar 3. The movement of the plunger plate Iillis effected by means of a compression spring I98 which is mounted on the plunger-rod I66 and confined between the plunger-plate I91 and the inner end of the bearing I02 (see Figure 4). The distance that the plunger I9! may extend is determined by a collar 169 which is secured to the plunger-rod I06 at a suitable point (see Figure 4) The collar is so positioned that it may abut the outer end III] of the bearing I92 and thereby'arrest' the movement of the plunger when it is extended by the spring I98 to the desired position.

Extending upwardly from the collar I 99 is a short pin I II provided with an enlarged head I I2. The pin HI is engaged by the end of a lever II3 which is pivotally mounted on a bolt H4 on the end 9? of the bracket 95. The end II5 of the lever H3 is forked as at II6 to provide an openended slot H1. The fork IIB embraces the pin III onthe collar. I09 and enables the end IIS of the lever II3 to reciprocate slightly on the pin III within the slot II! when the lever II3 is rocked. The opposite end Ila of the arm H3 is unattached. Y g

A second lever H9 is also pivoted on the end 9? of the bracket 99. The pivotal point otthe second arm is in alignment with but remote from the pivotal point II of the arm I I3. The second lever II9 is pivoted on a bolt I26 and lies in the same horizontal plane as but is angularly disposed to the arm H3. One end I2! of the lever H9 is relatively short and is in constant sliding contact with the free end II8 of the lever Il3 (Figure l). a The opposite end I22 of the lever I I9 is unattached and is considerably longer than the end I 2I. The arm I22 of the lever II9 extends through an opening I23 in the bar 2 and extends in the direction of the bar 3 and beneath the bars 2 --and 3 is a small -door or fan +24 se cured to a smal1 angular lever I25 extending from the door 124 through the -opening I04 in the bar 2 (Figure 4) and above and across the bearing I02.- "The bar I25 comprises angularly-disposed arms I26 and I21 which are pivotal ly secured-to the top or" the bearing I $2 on a bolt I28 at their point of juncture. The arm I21 has secured thereto one end of-a tension spring I29, the other end of which is secured to a rod I30 one end I'3I of which is threaded. lhe rod I36 passes through aligned holes in and is slidably secured in -the bearings 99 and IIlI and is held therein by a nut I32 on the threaded end I31 of the rod. By turning the nut I32 the tension of the spring I28 can'be adjusted. The normal position of the-door I24 is determined by a stop I 33 against which the arm I21 normally rests. I

A conical hopper I34 (Figure 4) is ti-ltably secured to the bar 2 by means of a rod I35 which passes through the brackets 8 and 9 and .a pair of 'a l 'igned lugs I35 on the hopper. The hopper is supported by the lugs I36 and by a projecting shoulder 1'31, at the base 1380f the hopper, which rest on the upper edges of the bars 2 and 21; When upright position as shown in Figure 4 the hopper is secured against tilting or dis-placemen-t by means of 2a bolt 1 39 and .a wing nut I 40, the bolt I39 leeing pivotally secured to a bracket I lI-on the-bar 2I by means ofa pin I42, said :bolt being engageable with a slot I 33 in the base I36 of the hopper and being secu-ra'ble therein by the wing-boltl-eii; The hopper is situated immediately abovethe line of traverse of the plungerplate I111 and between the transverse braces .22 and'2'3 and its lower end extends into the space lying between the bars 2 and 3. The lower edge of the hopper lies in the-same plane as the upper surfaces of the knife-guiding grooves 83 and Bi in the'ba-rs 2 and 2 1 respectively (Figure 4). A ho'llow nozzle indicated generally at M4 is divided longitudinally into two parts M :and MB. The part M5 is provided with a flange 141. at the exit end of the nozzle indicated generally at B. The movable part I46 has a flange I48 which maybe secured by bolts or-studs- I49 to the flange 3-2 on the movable bar 21. The :part M5 .is stationaryand maybe secured by bolts M9 passing, through flange N51 to the flange 20 on the bars (land 2|. "The entrance :end of the nozzle indicated generally at A is in the form -of a bell-- mouth 15% -the edges-of which are rolled back on themselvesformingawell-rounded lip I150a. The function of the nozzle is to guide the line and hooks through the bait'ing machine and to position-the hooks so that they may automatically leave-thenozzle anden'ter the machine proper in a 'baita'ble position. To that end the nozzle comprises a lineand hook-guiding channel IEI whichis unitary with-an enlarged annular chamberoi outer channel I52 formed adjacent the :exit end B-of the nozzle.

- The-chamber ordepression 452 is divided into a line-guiding channel I53 and aseri'es-of hookguiding channels 154, I55, I56, I'51and I58, the division being accomplished by a pair of septumlike pla'tes 1-59 and I60 secured to a thickened portionof thewa'llo'f the part T45 'by meansof screws 161. The chamber or depression I52 is divided over "a portion of its length into two branches I62 and H33, the onesloping upwardly and the other downwardly, by'means of wedgeshaped section or frog I64 formed in the wall of the part "I45. The plates I59 and I60 comprise channeled "portions I65 and I66 aro-shaped'in cross-section, their curvature being concentric with the curvature of the wall of the nozzle part' M5. The inner edges of the channeled portions 465 and I66 lie parallel one to the other tor a portion of their length and diverge, the one :upwardly and the other downwardly, from a point adjacent the tip of the frog I64, the lines of divergence being parallel to the sides .of the frog- It i eachof the plates I59 and I-60 terminating in ablunt point at the base of the frog. The outer edges I59aand I 60a of the arc-shaped portions W5 and 1660f the plates I59 and I60 abutagainst complementary fiat-surfaced ridges H5 in the nozzlesection I46 forming a circular lineaguiding channel I61 which is an extension of but has a smaller :cl-iam-eter than the lineand hook-guiding channel 151. The channel I61 extends to the end B. The chamber or outer passage I52 is tapered at the exit'end B of the nozzle, the end I69 of the tapered "portion opening into :a rectangularaperture I16 in the flange plate I41, the aperture lit being adjacent the channel I61 and connected thereto by the hook-guiding channel 158.

The part I46 of the nozzle is the complement of the part I45 and accordingly comprises a hookand line-guiding channel I'5l having hook-positioning grooves HI and I12, separated by 1a wedge-shapedridge I13, which grooves lead re spectively to grooves I54" and =I5-I" which are shallow chambers or. depressions in the nozzlesection I it and are the'rlespectivecomplements of the channels I54 and 151- of'the part I45. .Con-P tinuous with the hookand line-guiding channel I-5I is shown a line-guiding channel I61 which is of course the complement of the line-guiding channel I61 shown in part I45. 1 I

Looking at the complete nozzle from the en.- trance A toward the exit B through the progres: sive sections indicated in Figures 7, 8 and 9 it \w-iil be seen that for about one-half .of its length the, nozzle comprises a single passage I5I more .or less circular in cross-section. At a point adjacentthe base of the wedge-shaped portion tor trog 164 the single passage I51 branches into two separately defined but interconnected passages, one being an outer passage formed by the chamber i452 and defined between the wall of the partials: and the plates I59 and Itll; the other being the inner passage 1.6] which is as stated .above, a continuation :of the passage I51 and concentric with the outer passage and formed by the plates I59 and I60 and the semi-circular channel I 6!! in the nozzle section I46. I

When the nozzle is secured .to the machine the passages I51 and I61 are in alignment with the passage .62 (Figures .2 and 4) ,andthe restricted end of the chamber or outer passage I52 and the rectangular aperture in the flange plate 141 are in alignment with the channel 14 in the flange 20. A circular flange I14 at the exit end B of the nozzle is in registration with and insertable into a corresponding groove formed at the periphery of the aperture 82 thus adding to the rigidity of the structure. v

"The description of the operation of "the -ma-' chine will now be given from a position facing the machine at'the entrance end A 'ofthe nozzle; Inthe course of the description reference'wilhbe madetothe main fishing line 116 having shorterlines I11 attached thereto. Secured to the shorter lines are hooks each comprising a shank 1118, a barb I19, and an eye I to which the short line I11 is secured as indicated diagrammatically inFigureslO to 14. 1

The mainline I16 with the shorter lines and their hooks secured thereto at intervals may be wound around a Windlass which may be secured to the boat, neither the Windlass nor the boat being shown in the drawings.

The main line need not be threaded through the machine but may be laid therein when the line-guiding mechanism is in the open position as indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 2 showing thebar 21 out of engaging relation with the bars 3 and H. The part I46 of the nozzle, being secured to the bar 21and not secured to the part I45, may be swung outwardly with the bar 21 by means of the handle 40 against the action of the spring 44 and 45. The arrangement of the handle 40 and related parts is such that the bar 21 and nozzle part I46 will remain yieldingly in the open position automatically as long as desired.

, When the line has been placed in the machine the line-guiding means 21 and hook-guiding mechanism I46 is closed. The free end of the line lying in the passages II and IE1 in the nozzle and in the passage 82 in the machine proper, and being free of hooks for a portion of its length, is drawn through the machine for the required distance and secured to an anchored buoy, the line I16 is pulled through the machine and the baiting operation begins. In the meantime a supply of bait (indicated at IBI in Figures to 14), such as a small fish or a strip of herring, is placed in the hopper I34, the lower end of the strip of bait resting on the floor of the base :zand immediately in front of the door or flap 4. As the first hook reaches the bell-mouth I56 of the nozzle it is drawn over the lip I580; and into the entrance end A. The diameter of the lip of the bell-mouth must be greater than the distance between the shank and the barb of the hook in order that the hook may slide unhampered into the nozzle, it being understood that the eye and shank precede the barb.

The diameter of the passage I5I is greater than the transverse distance between the barb and the shank of the hook but the diameter of the inner passage IE1 is less than the distance between the barb and the shank. When the hook proceeds through the passage I5I with the barb lying to the right or in the nozzle part [45 the barb is deflected either upwardly or downwardly by'the depression I14 and the barb-end, being I unable to enter the passage IE1, is pulled into either the channel I54 or the channel I51 being deflected into one or other of the two channels by the pointed ends of the plates I55 or I59; which as stated above abut against corresponding ridges I in the section I46 of the nozzle; into either the channel I55 or the channel I56, the barbed end moving either downwardly in the channel I55 or upwardly in the channel I56. The barb at this point moves forwardly in the outer passage I52 but the eye I80, a portion of the shank I18, the main line I16 and the shorter line I11 are confined to the inner passage I61. If the barbed end enters the channel I 55 it will proceed into the channel I58 with the barb in a horizontal plane and facing right. If the barbed end enters the channel I5Ii the barb will be facing downwardly and will be turned on the diverging edge of the plate I59 through an angle of approximately 90 into channel I58 with the barb in horizontal position and facing right. In either case the hook will be pulled out of the nozzle with the barb facing right and in that position will enter the aperture 14 of the machine and 8. grapple the pin 69 which obstructs the aperture 14 (see Figures 2 and 3).

When the hook proceeds through the passage I5I with the barb lying to the left or in the part I46 of the nozzle the barbed end is deflected by the ridge I13 and is turned either upwardly or downwardly through an angle of approximately 90 into either the channel I54 or the channel I51 and passes through and out of the nozzle as described above. It will therefore be seen that in no matter what position the hooks enter the nozzle they will automatically be moved into the desired position while passing through the nozzle.

The pin 69, which is grappled by the barbed end I19 of the hook as it enters the machine after leaving the nozzle (see Figure 10), is free to pivot on the pin 64, in an arc-shaped path across the end of the plate 16 and shoulder 18 therein (see Figures 1, 2 and 3). The vertical distance be tween the lower end of the pin 69' and the top of the plate is less than the thickness of the hook and the hook cannot free itself of the pin 69 until it has moved it across the shoulder 18 (Figures 1 and 3) at which point the barbed end of the hook is in alignment with the pin 92 carried by the member 90 on the blade (see Figure 11). As the hook and the pin pass over the shoulder I8 the hook drops into the sloped depression 11, and the pin 69 is released and is returned to its original position by the spring I2 on the arm 51 (see Figure 12).

The barbed end of the hook meanwhile has grappled the pin 52 (see Figure 12) but the knife does not start to move until member has rocked on its pivot so that pin 93 has travelled from the rear to the forward portion of slot 81. This movement causes pin ill to move inwardly far enough to release lever H9 and allow the plunger plate I01 to come into contact with the bait before the blade has moved at all. The hook then commences to move the blade 85 through the machine in the direction of the hopper I34, against the action of the coiled spring in the pulley 58. As the blade begins to move the pin 9I moves with it, allowing the lever II9 to continue its movement whereby the spring I08 on the plunger-rod I06 is allowed to expand still further and the plunger I51 is forced across the space defined between the bars 2 and 2! into the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 1A. The distant end of the lever H3 is moved forwardly with the collar I09 from the position shown in solid lines in Figure l to the position shown in dotted lines in that figure, the free end He of w the lever II3 moves outwardly and forces the arm I22 to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 1. The plunger-plate I01 forces and retains the strip of bait against the inner edges of the bars 3 and 2i (Figure 13).

The blade being moved forwardly by the hook pulls forward the chain 50 secured to the pin 93 on the blade thus forcing the chain to unwind and the pulley 58 to rotate and at the same time winding the spring within the pulley.

It will be seen that the greater portion of the blade 85 moves ahead of the pin 92 and the hook, and as it moves forwardly below the bottom of the hopper it shears off a piece of bait, and the hook, as it reaches the end of the plate 16, falls from the plate, and releases the pin 92 and with it the blade.- Member 90 remains in the advance position while the bait is being severed but as soon as the pin 92 is freed from the hook it moves back into its normal position in relation to the knife before the blade starts to return to normal position:- on thereturn of: the-blad tetheimn h m hi apin 9| picks up ever-l liw r ver it may hav stopped-J: Plunger {01 is th fully retracted before the next piece of bait falls into place. It is necessary for theplunger it] to move in and hold the bait in advance of the knife and the-plunger must be retracted before the knife uncoverszthe bottom of the hopper on its ;returnstroke, otherwise the next pieceof bait would'fall on top of the plun er.

The hook meanwhile pierces thepiece of bait (Figure 14) and moves it forwardly into contact with-the flap I24 which is forced to 'pivc'it forwardly andto one side against theaction of spring 129 thus'freein'g the baited book of ob struction but at the same'time impaling the bait firmly on the hook. The baited hook-proceeds out of the machine, and into the water and the baiting operation is repeated over and over again as the hooks enter the machine. In the meantime the flap 2 3 is forced back to its original position by the spring I29. The blade recoils to its original position under the influence of the spring in the pulley 58, the chain Bil being thus re-wound in the pulley. The blade recoils against the buffer pin 54 and at the same time and as stated above the pin 9! forces the lever 1 i9 and with it the arm I33 back to the positions shown in solid lines in Figure l, and returns the plunger-plate I01 to the normal position and recompresses the spring I08 on the rod N16.

The foregoing description and accompanying drawings are given by way of illustration only and modification within the scope of the appended claims may be resorted to without departing from the invention. The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege. is claimed are defined as follows.

We claim:

1. A baiting machine comprising in combination a base, means mounted on said base defining a straight, continuous passage through the machine, said means being divided longitudinally into two parts one of which is rigidly secured to said base and the other being swingably mounted on the base, one end of said passage defining means being provided with a flaring annular formation; hook-guiding means in said passage, a slidable knife, bait-feeding means, bait-retaining means, hook-engaging means on said knife whereby a fish-hook passing through the machine drags the knife past the bait-feeding means; and spring means to return the knife to its normal position.

2. A machine as claimed in claim 1, comprising in addition, a plurality of automaticallyoperating levers in combination with said baitholding means and said knife whereby said baitholding means operates automatically during operation of said knife.

3. A machine as claimed in claim 2 comprising in addition, hook-engageable means movably mounted on the knife and lever-engaging means movably mounted on the knife in relation to said hook-engageable means such that said bait-holding means is operated in advance of the knife.

4. A nozzle for positioning hooks carried at spaced intervals on a line, comprising in combination a tubular member terminating at one end in a flaring, annular formation, a plurality of depressions and wedge-shaped protuberances formed within said tubular member and being integral therewith and designed to cause rotation of a hook moving forwardly within said nozzle, a pair of spaced, arcuate elements mountconnecting hook-guiding channelswithin said nozzle. 1

5 A nozzle as claimed in claim 4, wherein said nozzle is divided longitudinally into two parts on a diagonal plane.

6. In a baiting machine for use in baiting fishlines having hooks secured thereto at spaced intervals including a hook-aligning nozzle, a

hook-baiting and a bait- -severing means, said hook-aligmng nozzle comprising separate sectional means when in operative position forming the'nozzle, means to maintain the sectional -means in operative 'position,- said sectional means ,defining a common line-guide and at least one hook-guide channel a substantial part of the length of the said sectional means and further means on said sectional means defining a separate guide channel for at least one hook for the remainder of the length of said sectional means situated laterally with respect to the axis of the said sectional means.

7. A baiting machine according to claim 6, the sectional means defining said lineand hookguiding channels comprising a plurality of longitudinal bars, each having a channel therein, said channels being arcuate in cross-section, one of said bars being superposed on a second of said bars and spaced therefrom to form said hookguiding channel, a third of said bars being laterally situated with respect to first and second-mentioned bars and having means operable therewith for moving said third-mentioned bar into and out of engagement with said first and second-mentioned bars, whereby said line-guiding channel may be opened and closed.

3. A baiting machine as claimed in claim 7, further characterized in that one of the sectional means is secured to and movable with the movable member of said plurality of bars.

9. A baiting machine as claimed in claim 6, said nozzle comprising in combination a cylindrical wall, means defining a plurality of depressions and wedge-shaped protuberances formed within said wall and designed to cause rotation of a hook moving forwardly within said nozzle, a pair of spaced arcuate elements mounted on and secured to said wall and partitioning one of said depressions, said arcuate elements together and in cooperation with one of said protuberances forming a plurality of interconnecting hook-guiding channels within said nozzle.

10. A baiting machine as claimed in claim 9 comprising in addition, means constituting an inner line-guiding passage located centrally of said nozzle, and an outer hook-traversing pas sage located laterally of said nozzle and said passages being coextensive and concentric and extending over a portion only of the length of said nozzle, said passages being defined by said arcuate elements in cooperation with the wall of said nozzle.

11. A baiting machine as claimed in claim 10, the said outer passage being tapered at one of its extremities and terminating as a rectangular aperture, said plurality of interconnecting hookguiding channels being in communication with said outer passage and said inner passage, one of said plurality of hook-guiding channels being in communication with said rectangular aperture, said inner passage and said rectangular ap erture being in alignment with and opening into said line-guiding channel and said hook-guiding channel. a

12. A baiting machine as claimed in claim 9, an end of each of said arcuate members being tapered forming hook-deflecting means.

13. In a baiting machine for use in baiting fishing lines having hooks secured thereto at spaced intervals including a hook-aligning nozzle, 2. hook-baiting means and a bait-severing means, said hook-aligning nozzle comprising separate sectional means, one of said sectional means being swingable with respect to the other sectional means whereby a line may be inserted between the sectional means when the swingable sectional means is swung away from the other sectional means, said sectional means when in operative position forming the nozzle, means to maintain the sectional means in operative position, said sectional means defining a common-line guide and at least one hook-guide channel for a substantial part of the length of the said sectional means and further means on said sectional means defining a separate guide channel for at least one hook for the remainder of the length of said sectional means situated laterally with respect to the axis of the said sectional means. THOMAS HENDERSON McCU'LLY HOPKINS. GEORGE BAUERNFEIND.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,511,828 Andrist June 20, 1950 2,518,590 Andrist Aug. 15, 1950 

